Ridiculously Pink
by Thousandcrystals
Summary: This was a very bad idea. In fact, Itachi mused, this might be the worst idea of his life. But he had seen her fight to save Sasuke's life, on the night the Akatsuki burned, and had seen potential. She could be a great ninja, with a little help. If only her hair wasn't so damn pink. ItaSaku mostly drabble. R and R for possible continuation. This is surprisingly fun. :D


Hell is a state of mind, an obsession with one face, one thought, one love that can never be. _Love_. Such a word! It burned him up from the inside out with no respite, that word! So many meanings, so many misconstrued feeble attempts to describe that one emotion, which could be perfectly defined in a simple smile. He could not understand. And yet he was filled with understanding, so powerful it destroyed every rational thought in his mind.

Itachi Uchiha knew love, and he hated it with every cell of his being.

The way she smiled, the unexpected strength of her fists, even that ridiculous hair of hers. Pink, Itachi despaired, inwardly cursing every deity he knew. Pink! She was completely unsuitable in every way. Such a girl was not worthy of anything other than a passing glance. A weak thing to be pitied, a kunoichi who would inevitably give up her career as a nin due to the incredible pressure and hardship that came with being a paid assassin.

She smiled, laughing as the wind played with her hair. Itachi narrowed his crimson eyes into slits. Surely a ninja, a _serious_ ninja, should not smile so? It went against every rule, every standard. The girl - he refused to think her name, even to himself - would die in minutes in the harsh ANBU world.

He had thought his heart was frozen, safe and untouchable. He had killed all emotion, murdered it the same night he murdered his family, so nothing would ever have the power to hurt him again. He had never thought anything could warm it again. He had considered it utterly _impossible_. Even his love for Sasuke had been necessary to destroy. If he had not purged the emotion entirely, hidden it even from himself, he would never have been able to act impassively cruel, goading his brother to someday kill him, thus ending the cycle of hatred forever. The endless wheel of revenge would have died with him, permitting the world to move on in peace.

Only he would have had to suffer. He had never asked for anything for himself. But then, he had never _wanted_ anything. Was it so very wrong, he wondered impassively, to want?

In her clearing, the girl panted, her candy pink hair falling into her face. Kunai lay embedded in the ground and trees surrounding, instruments of death played with like toys. She had missed one of her seven targets. He stared steadily, silently unsurprised. Her final throw, the one that would have enabled her to hit the hidden target, had been off. She had hesitated, and that was the biggest mistake for a ninja. At this rate, she would surely die in battle soon, freeing him of this torture.

His forehead creased ever so slightly at the thought. The thought, however _logical_ made his stomach clench. He wanted no harm to come to the girl, and that was both irrational and unrealistic to expect. He had already seen the color of her blood after all.

He had first seen the girl, truly _seen_ her, three months ago, on the fateful night the Akatsuki had burned into ashes. The ANBU of the Hidden Leaf discovered the location of an Akatsuki base, due in no small part to his own information, and the Hokage's final decision had been for war. A preliminary strike, to demolish the organization that threatened the world itself.

Every Jonin, special Jonin, ANBU and ROOT member in the village struck the base after midnight, along with most of the Chunin and even a few entitled Genin. It was the largest military movement in history since the last Great Ninja War. And it proved deadly.

Fire burned red in the sky, lighting the night like dawn as screams and explosions tore through the otherwise still air. Kunai fell like rain, thudding into the earth periodically until the ground was littered with wicked points and the bleak shine of iron. The metallic charred taste of Chakra filled the air as countless ninja fought and died against the otherworldly strength of the Akatsuki.

The Leaf was lucky. Nearly every member of the Akatsuki was present that night, with the exception of Sasori and his temporary partner, Kisame, off on a high profile mission in the land of Wind that required their unique talents. If there had been more members missing, perhaps they would have been able to regroup, but the losses were too heavy, the offensive too massively overwhelming.

Pain nearly destroyed the first wave single handedly. His Divine Push crushed and killed over two hundred ninja in seconds after the surprise attack was discovered. His fury knew no bounds, and all who stood against him suffered for it, whether friend or foe. His steel rods drank the blood of the Leaf while Deidara rained hell from the skies, and Kakuzu ripped out hearts to replace any of his own that were broken. Hidan laughed maniacally while slicing people to pieces, heedless of his own flesh, and Konan gave new meaning to the words 'paper cut'. Even Tobi fought, revealing incredible skills and jutsu that Itachi had believed long forgotten from this world.

It was from this massacre drowning in blood and fire that Sasuke appeared. He had followed the movements of the Leaf, had known exactly where to find him, and Itachi had waited, knowing that everything would finally be at an end.

They clashed with lightning and steel, brother against brother, hate against love, and it was as though the fights around them were nonexistent. None existed in the world but them, and so focused were the two, they were scarcely aware of the ninja fighting and dying around them.

Itachi had been impressed, around the shock. Sasuke's strength was real, not like it had been before. He wielded power like a young god, a righteous avenger full of blinding power and near impossible drive. He was impressed, but he could not take pride in his brothers achievement. There was no room for pride around the sickened self loathing in his heart for making his beloved little brother into this bereaved monster twisted by hatred and vengeance. It made him cold to see what he had done, however well intentioned.

He had been resigned for death. He would have given his brother his vengeance in full, a final act of love that would never be recognized. He had been _happy_ for him, happy to end Sasuke's pain and let the world move on. But things had gone wrong, so wrong he could scarcely believe it, even now.

He had been holding nothing back. To have done so would have been an insult to his brother, cheating him of his perfect revenge. Theirs was a battle between equals, and every attack potentially fatal. It just showed the trust he had for Sasuke, to be able to fight with no restrictions, to risk his brothers life by holding no bars. It was something he never would have done had Sasuke not been strong enough to hold his own, had he gained strength with nothing but the passion of his spirit.

But Sasuke had not gained purely natural strength. He had signed a contract with the snake demon, twisting his body with chemicals and forbidden jutsu in a desperate attempt to claim power that was his alone. But though the power was in his body, it still belonged to its master, and it was this power that betrayed him in the end. Sasuke had fought him with the cursed seal of Orochimaru, and in a crucial moment, the pain of the black jutsu had overwhelmed him.

It had only been for an instant. A _single_ instant, and every plan, every act of love, was destroyed. Sasuke's blackened eyes had gone wide with shock, and Itachi himself had shut down for one eternal second as his chakra wreathed kunai burst out of his little brothers back, blood coating his entire arm. Time went still as the warmth blossomed across his skin, his black cloak long gone, and he felt Sasuke's life bleeding out.

It hadn't been meant to happen. Sasuke was destined to _win_, to destroy the murderer of his family. But his lust for power had been his ironic downfall. Somewhere, Itachi heard a wordless shout of demented rage as the Nine Tailed Demon Fox lost his sanity, and then the battle exploded in earnest.

The Akatsuki fought, but their ranks were annihilated by the horrific power of the Jinchuriki, driven mad by the sight of his friends blood. Five tails whipped through the smoky air, composed of red chakra so condensed it was bubbling violently, burning like magma. The boys skin peeled from his flesh, and a contorted skeleton of white bone armored his demonic form on the outside of his chakra cloak, and then there were six tails. Then seven.

Pain and Naruto clashed in a battle of wills and ideals, and their combined power was enough that lives were risked simply by being close to the fight. Pain's bodies were cut down one by one, until his true body was discovered, withered and drawn, already relying on heavy chakra support to survive. The eighth tail erupted from the crimson cloak, and Konan dove in a flurry of paper, protecting her partner from the blow that would have ended his life.

Something returned to the boys empty eyes as his red claws tore her body in half. He hesitated, and a beautiful girl with long midnight blue hair rushed from behind and threw her arms around his scorching chakra cloak. She was crying from pupilless eyes, begging him to stop even as the Nine Tails chakra burned her skin. The crimson red faded in a hiss of steam, and the boy was left staring uncomprehendingly at the man he had been prevented from killing.

He heard that Pain…no, Nagato, was truly defeated that day, and not because of the boys power. He had been defeated by the strength of a Jinchuriki's ideals, his hope for a better world. Nagato closed his rippled eyes and wept for Konans death. In a final burst of effort, the chakra tubes supporting his life were thrown from his body, and he died honorably, trusting the world into the hands of a demon.

He heard later because he had not cared in the slightest at the time. His only concern had been Sasuke, the brother he had cared for and fought for, and would have died for. The brother who was gasping for air on the stone slab, blood slowly filling his lungs. He could do nothing but stare helplessly, completely frozen.

He had never imagined that things could go so very wrong. If there was any justice in this world, he should have died that day, but fate had cruelly kept him alive, sparing his life so he could watch his baby brother die in agony.

And then, she was there.

She didn't even seem to see him, though he was standing right next to him. She ran to Sasuke's side, gasping as her ridiculous hair waved in disarray. She wasn't aware of anything, as her hands exploded with green life giving chakra. The light from her healing power was like a star, so bright it threw shadows. Horrified tears ran down her bloodstained face, and desperate words he never heard ripped out of her throat as she poured her soul into saving him. Sasuke's blood covered her hands, but she never faltered. Her chakra healed flesh, knitted shattered ribs and organs back into a semblance of life, reconnected severed arteries, and finally, stimulated bone marrow to produce blood to replace that which had been lost.

He saw her, that day, as she fought to save his brothers life. She nearly died from chakra loss. She would have died, if Naruto had not placed his hands over hers, giving the remains of his chakra to save his best friend. Team 7 was reunited at last, over the broken body of one of its members. When Sasuke choked, gasping for air as his eyes flew open, it was like his own heart had restarted from death.

She had looked so very relieved, as though she felt the exact same way he had. And then her green eyes rolled back and her pale eyelids fluttered, and she fell, exhausted body and soul. He watched from his place in the shadows as she hit concrete, almost concerned. He looked at her hands, coated with Sasuke's blood, and then at his own red stained arm.

His hands had brought death, but she gave life.

Itachi never saw her the same way again. He had seen the strength behind her weak guise, strength that required one to look for it, and he knew she was something utterly unique. Something unattainable, unmarred, a speck of purity in a rotten, scum filled world. She was something new, that wanted protecting despite being perfectly capable of protecting herself. It was her, in fact, who defeated Sasori one month later, aided by a woman named Chiyo. Kisame was killed by Might Guy on that same day, and Itachi was alone.

He had no purpose. Akatsuki was destroyed, Sasuke hospitalized and despairing over his loss, and the Leaf was still recovering from the battle. Perhaps someday Sasuke would recover his initiative, and return to his quest to kill his big brother, but with the kind words of his friends, the love of his village, and the love of the girl, surely he would prefer to remain behind. _He_ had everything to live for. Itachi could not imagine jeopardizing such treasures.

He should have waited, patiently, until Sasuke came for him again. That was the only real reason he had not turned himself in then and there, after the battle was concluded. The thought that Sasuke would still want his revenge was the only thing that kept him going. He had nothing else.

But he found that he could not stay away from the girl.

He wanted to see the color of her eyes again. He told himself he simply wanted to verify her strength. To double check the passion he had seen that day, so he knew he had not imagined it. After all, he had never noticed it in her _before_ that night. Perhaps the light had been playing tricks on his eyes, the emotional turmoil clouding his judgment. He just wanted to see if the girl was really talented.

That was what Itachi told himself. He almost believed it even. Perhaps the reason he was so drawn to her was because of the strength of her feelings, her _passion _towards Sasuke. It was the one thing they had in common. She loved him. It was painfully obvious.

And now he was acting like a common stalker. He, Itachi Uchiha, acting like a child.

He felt the sudden, powerful urge to bang his head against a tree. He closed his eyes, silently counting to ten. When he opened his eyes again, the girl punched a tree with a snarl, shattering the iron wood into mere splinters.

He watched, alarmed at her outburst, as she struck the falling tree again with a gloved fist before it could hit the ground. The oaken trunk spun crazily through the air and hit another thick tree horizontally. The standing tree shuddered violently, spraying a shower of leaves at the onslaught.

The girl panted, glaring at the destruction. She spun on one foot and stalked away, her fist tightly clenched.

He did not understand her. He saw her perhaps once a week, every time telling himself it would be the last. And then she would do something like this. Irrational, slightly stupid, and always irritatingly unexpected. He could not get her measure, and oh how it irked him! If she would just _behave_ normally, act like a normal human being, he knew he would be able to leave her alone once and for all!

"That bastard!" the girl snarled furiously. She stopped walking to punch another unfortunate tree. Her fist was shaking as it fell to the ground with a groan. "Calling me, _me_ a weakling! After everything, he thinks I'm still a self absorbed _child!_ Why do I even _bother!_"

At this rate, there wouldn't be much of Konoha's forest left by the time she was done. Itachi's forehead creased. She couldn't be talking about _Sasuke_, could she?

"As if I haven't proved myself at all! That _duck butt haired bastard!_" She shrieked, and every small animal in a mile radius hid from her wrath.

Oh yes. She was talking about Sasuke. He stifled the urge to groan. What had his foolish little brother _done?_

She fell to her knees, her shoulders shaking. He realized with horror that she was crying. His elite, assassins mind shut down completely.

"Mistress Sakura? Do you require assistance?" a voice said uncertainly. A very uncomfortable looking member of the ANBU ROOT dropped from a tree. Itachi recognized him as one of the former followers of Danzo. After his treachery had been discovered, ROOT had been dismantled, and the emotionally dead members put through rehabilitation in an effort to restore some semblance of feelings. Looking at this sad specimen, it was not working.

"Why can't I _do_ this?" the girl cried furiously. "No matter what I do, I can't hit that damn target!"

"If I may offer an observation, you appear to be emotionally compromised," the ROOT member offered seriously. "It may have something to do with your hormones. Tell me, are you on your feminine cycle?"

"Say that again and I'll break every bone in your miserable body," Sakura snarled, her green eyes glinting furiously behind her tears.

The ROOT member took an involuntary step backwards. "Of course, miss Sakura," he said uncertainly.

She slumped. "Sorry, I didn't…it isn't your fault, Tatsuki. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm just so _mad_. I don't know why I can't…am I really weak? Is that why I can't do this?"

"I don't know about that, miss Sakura," the man said, shifting to his other foot. "May I make a suggestion?"

The girl looked at the chestnut haired man warily. "If this has _anything _to do with the 'female cycle', I may break your arm," she warned.

Itachi's mouth twitched.

"No, miss," the former ROOT member replied impassively. "I was going to suggest some simple Genjutsu exercises. A mind balanced in itself is often capable of performing at a much higher level. I can teach you a few basics, if you wish."

"Genjutsu?" the girl repeated, her forehead scrunching up as she considered this. He went very still from his tree.

"Close your eyes," the man called Tatsuki ordered, kneeling down next to the pink haired girl. He placed two fingers to her temple, his own brown eyes closing as well. "Open up your mind, and still your thoughts. Genjutsu visualization is a popular training technique among the black ops."

"Genjutsu visualization?" she repeated questioningly. Meanwhile, a horrible, wonderful idea had begun to grow in Itachi's mind.

"The art of teaching jutsu and battle techniques mind to mind, rather than in training. Through this method, it is possible to teach jutsu by memory sharing and mental scenarios," Tatsuki explained, completely unaware of the suddenly frozen ninja watching from above.

Itachi debated with himself. This was an incredibly stupid notion. He was a wanted ninja, a murderous fugitive who had nearly killed the person she loved most bare months ago. She couldn't possibly accept him as himself. As much as he might want to, he could not teach her. He knew he could make her a better ninja. He could mold this flower into a weapon, a ninja beyond compare. She had the talent. All she needed was a few nudges in the right direction, and she would flourish.

It would be easy. Almost criminally so. He could not be a person to her, a man. But maybe, he could be a teacher. He closed his crimson eyes, fighting back the urge to listen to common sense.

This was a very bad idea.

A simple genjutsu was all it took to take over the emotionally stunted mind of Tatsuki. His senses expanded, and he could feel her skin under the ROOT members fingers. Her chakra melded to his, and Itachi could feel her mind on the fringes of his awareness.

This was a very, very bad idea. It would be better for everyone if he left, and waited in some remote corner of the world for Sasuke to come for him once again.

"Now," his slightly altered voice said, echoing through their shared connection. The ROOT member had been pathetically easy to subdue. He doubted the man could have taught her much about the incredibly complex and delicate art of Genjutsu. "Imagine a field. Picture every detail, from the scent of the air to each individual blade of grass. You will create the training field, and then we can begin…"

**OxO**

Author Note: This fic is a gift for my long suffering BETA reader, KagoTori. Most of the things she's proofread haven't been posted yet...but they will! All of them! Except the ones that suck more than others! Anyways, she is wonderful. I've never met a better proofreader, and her advice is top notch. So, K-Tori, this is yours. I hope you enjoy it.

I'm really new, but I do like to write. So...I'll do my best. I'm glad to be able to write stories that people read. More than reviews, and more than even cake. Thank you all for following this story. I hope I can write something that will make you smile.

~Thousandcrystals


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